Traction tire not available--what to do?

I would only worry about the width. Too wide would need to be cut down to size. There's plenty of stretch in these tires so grab what you have and I bet it will work. 

Rod Miller

This is where I always go...... Ask for Bob, the owner or service department, and an OGR Sponsor.

Gary: They have over 25,000 parts in stock.

You don't have to match it exactly.  AAMOF, I like to use the thinner MTH tires on a lot of things as sometimes the Lionel tires were too thick and actually rubbed the brake shoes, which didn't help with normal operation!

Keith, I tried to generate enough interest in collecting data and making a traction tire database (wheel diameter, groove width and depth) last week, but got very little attention or input 

Brasseurs is probably your best bet.

Bob Delbridge posted:

Brasseurs is probably your best bet.

In Michigan, we have a famous saying, "Going Up North" Brasseur Eclectric Trains is about one-hour from my train room. (see map below).  After I get the parts I need, I can rail-fan my way home or go hunting and fishing in the Great State of Michigan.  I am one lucky, model railroader.

Gary - Lost in Michigan - Pike Fishing......... Northern Pike

Keith, email me your address and I'll send a pair in the mail.

It is entirely (no pun intended) to run a locomotive without a traction tire - or any tires -, so long as the performance and behavior of the locomotive, on its daily rounds, does not suffer. On the older steamers, which often came with 4 (overkill) tires, I never replace more than 2 of them.

But, as mentioned, precise dimensions are not overly critical, if you must replace it. Brand does not matter so long as it fits.

Keith,

Been there - done it -

Call Lionel, they are consolidating SKU's into only a few- Give them the number you posted and they will cross reference it for you. Most of the Diesels issues in the last year are the same tire just a different SKU. Steamer on the other hand are a little more dicey.

Telephone number = 586-949-4100 

Email = Talktous@lionel.com - The service team is quick to respond. They will give you the correct cross referenced part number 

Given the cost to ship, on average $9.95 for  $1.00 part buy a bunch and call it a day. 

Kevin 

MTH has good traction tires.  I just replaced a bunch of old dried out ones on older Lionel.    The MTH DE-25 is closest.

Gentlemen, thank you all so much!

Chuck, I just emailed you my address.

Keith

Have to agree, Brasseur Electric Trains in Saginaw,Mi. would be my first contact, good knowledgeable sales and technical support staff, pricing and order shipment no negative issues, definitely would contact Brasseur in the future as needs arise. Purchased substitute non-Williams traction tires for the Williams brass "J", measure the diameter of the counterbore on the wheel rim that the traction tire seat and the width of this counterbore using a micrometer or vernier caliper. Call Brasseur sales and request the call be transferred to technical support, tell the tech these two dimensions and this will take time to determine. Ask for a telephone callback with their results, they found a replacement tire that was a very close match to the OEM, I purchased them, applied them to the "J" and kept the stock number for future purchases of this tire. Also repaired smoke units with parts purchased from them, what I truly like is their tech support, after a career of 40 years in engineering one appreciates professional people an not having to deal with sales/technical bs that I experienced in dealing with some non-OEM part distributors.

trainroomgary posted:

Bob Delbridge posted:

Brasseurs is probably your best bet.

In Michigan, we have a famous saying, "Going Up North" Brasseur Eclectric Trains is about one-hour from my train room. (see map below).  After I get the parts I need, I can rail-fan my way home or go hunting and fishing in the Great State of Michigan.  I am one lucky, model railroader.

Gary - Lost in Michigan - Pike Fishing......... Northern Pike

or stop in Frankenmuth for a chicken dinner at Zehnder's....

Steamer posted:

or stop in Frankenmuth for a chicken dinner at Zehnder's....

Hi Dave: Zehnder's  in Frankenmuth has great chicken dinners.  Zehnder's is a family stop.  My wife's mother and father got married in Frankenmuth, the reception was in the Garden Room at Zehnder's.  They were married after WWII. My mother-in-law lived on a farm in Birch Run and as a teenager she worked at Zehnder's.  We all have Zehnder Stories  and this is just one of hundred's

Now back to food. When you are on a model train trip, railfan, hunting or fishing trip, Tony's I75 Restaurant, is where we stop.  Nov. 15th is the start of Michigan Firearm Season, and Tony's is the place to get your food for deer camp.  Five gallon buckets of chile and a lot of bacon. 

Here is the map.

Still lost in Michigan, but I now have a lot of chile. - Gary

Have been in the same situation and as others have said gone with a smaller tire. And such a delightful job to replace tires when Lionel placed them on the drivers behind the cylinders...

That Sheldon Cooper character should have a new line: "No tires are the best 'O' tires!" 

BobbyD posted:

Have been in the same situation and as others have said gone with a smaller tire. And such a delightful job to replace tires when Lionel placed them on the drivers behind the cylinders...

That Sheldon Cooper character should have a new line: "No tires are the best 'O' tires!" 

Ain't that the truth!  They all do it so it's a universal practice for these guys.

I wonder how much "engineering" went into determining how may traction tires to use?  I bet the conversation went like this "How many?  Let's put them on every other wheel set starting with the front wheels.  We still have to maintain continuity somewhere!".

I bet a pair of tires on the rear wheel set is plenty.  I like the tires 3rd Rail used on their E7, they have cross-hatching on them which IMO would offer better traction, instead of the "racing slicks" most use. mainly because they get slick from dirt and oil left on the track.